Swivelling shoe brush combination



June 24, 1969 A. szoPo 3,451,092

SWIVEJLLTNG SHOE BRUSH COMBINATION Filed Feb. 1, was Sheet of 2INVENTOR.

ALEXANDER SZOPO ATTORNEY June 24, 1969 I A. SZOPO 3,451,092

SWIVELLING SHOE BRUSH COMBINATION Filed Feb. 1, 1968 7 Sheet i or 2 l4IO IN VENTDR.

)fILEXANDEf? SZOPO zykw A T TORNEY United States Patent 3,451,092SWIVELLING SHOE BRUSH COMBINATION Alexander Szopo, 346 Sudan St., NewBrunswick, NJ. Filed Feb. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 702,287 Int. Cl. A471 23/04US. Cl. 15106 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A brush combinationsuitable for cleaning shoes comprises a long handle from the lowerportion of which projects laterally a pin on to which is hingeablyattached a brush mounting plate. A stop plate attached to the top of thepin serves to stop the plate from making a complete revolution aroundthe pin. An elongated brush body has an end opening into which themounting plate is inserted with the pin and stop. The plate is anchoredinto the hole end and is positioned so that the pin is disposedofi-center with respect to the central axis of the brush body, so thatwhen the brush body is pulled back on the floor, it rolls around the pinuntil the bristles are disposed upwardly for cleaning the soles ofshoes, in which case the stop prevents the brush body from rotatingfarther. When the handle is lifted, the brush body rotates back to thebristle-downward position-- enabling its use as a broom, since it isprevented from rotating farther again by the stop. Another shorter brushmay be mounted in laterally-extending position on the handle oppositelydisposed from the longer brush to clean the sides of the soles.

Background of the invention The cleaning of shoes before entry into ahouse has been achieved by nailing onto the porch a brush or scraper.Such a device not only mars the surface of the porch, but it alsorequires cleaning of the area by means of a broom, or other sweepingmeans.

In British Patent 523,744, a brush is disclosed for cleaning the bottomof soles, and a smaller brush is provided for cleaning the sides of theshoes. However, such a brush must be jabbed into the ground alongside ofthe porch, and a separate broom must be employed for sweeping the area.

There is need for a shoe cleaning brush which also may be used to sweepaway the accumulated dirt.

Summary 0]" the invention According to the present invention, a brush isprovided which is mounted on the end of a handle. A swivel pin ismounted on the handle and at right angles thereto. A brush mountingplate is hingeably' attached to the pin and a stop plate is attached tothe top of the pin. This mounting is inserted into a hole in the end ofthe brush, in anchoring relation thereto, and in a manner such that thepin is off center with respect to the horizontal axis of the brush.

With such an arrangement, when the brush is pulled back on the floor, itrolls onto its back (particularly when the upper brush body edges arerounded), and it is stopped in this position by impingement of themounting plate against the stop plate. As the handle is pressed down bythe user, it is possible to clean the soles of the shoes by rubbing thesoles over the upright bristles of the brush. A small laterally-directedbrush disposed on the handle enables the cleaning of the sides of theshoes, as well.

Thereafter, the brush handle is lifted, whereupon the brush body swivelsback into the bristle-downward position, in which position it is stoppedby the fact that the stop plate impinges against the side of the hole inthe brush body in which the mounting is anchored. Accordlngly, it isthus possible to use the brush as -a broom to sweep the dirt away fromthe floor.

Brief description of the drawing The invention will be more readilyunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which apreferred embodiment is described, and in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a front elevational view, with handle partly cutaway, of a brush of the present invention in position for use incleaning shoes.

FIGURE 2 depicts a similar view of the same brush in position for use asa broom.

FIGURE 3 presents an enlarged front view of the larger brush mountingwith handle and smaller brush bristles partly cut away.

FIGURE 4 shows a side elevational view of the portion illustrated inFIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the plane ofline 5-5 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of the longbrush taken along the plane of line 66 in FIGURE 5 but with said brushrotated The same numerals refer to similar parts in the various figures.

Description 09 the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawing,numeral 10 designates a handle of wood, or similar material, attached toan angle pipe section 11. Inserted in the other opening of pipe section11 is a circular brush 12 which may be used for cleaning the sole edgesof shoes, for example.

Attached to the back side of pipe section 11, at 13, and in a directionopposite to that of brush 12, is mounting 14 for larger brush 15.Mounting 14 comprises horizontally directed pin 16 on which is attachedhinge 17 attached to anchoring plate 18. Attached to the top of pin 16is stop plate 19. Anchoring plate 18 has its inner end bent at rightangles to provide an angle plate 20 having hole 21. At its other end,anchoring plate 18 has a series of pointed projections 22 which serve tobecome imbedded into hole 23 of larger brush 15.

Brush 15 comprises :1 preferably wooden body 24 and bristles 25. Itsupper portion is desirably provided with longitudinally rounded corners26.

Hole 23 is made in the end 27 of larger brush 15, and it is made largeenough to allow entry therein of mounting 14. However, the hole is notdeep enough to accommodate the mounting, so that the end 20 of thehousing is hammered while it is in hole 23 so as to imbed sharp prongs22 of plate 18 into the end of hole 23 (see FIG. 6). Then, angle plateis screwed onto Wooden end 27 by means of screw 28. It will be notedthat hole 23 is off center with respect to center line 29 of brush body24, so that pin 16 on which the brush body 24 swivels, is off-centerwith respect to center line 29 to enable the brush to return to sweepingposition (FIG. 2) when the entire brush is raised.

When the entire brush is moved forward when it is against floor 30 (fromthe position in FIG. 2), the larger brush swivels to the rear, and bypressing down on it thereafter, the body 24 rolls over rounded edges 26and brush 15 is enabled to rest stably on its flat back 31, and it maythen be used to clean the soles of shoes by rubbing the soles overbristles 25. Brush 15 will remain in the position of FIG. 1 as long asdownward pressure is applied on handle 10 during the sole cleaning.Smaller brush 12 may be used for cleaning the edges of the soles.

After the shoes have been cleaned, the dirt may be swept away by usingthe brush as a broom. This is done by lifting handle 10 which causesbrush body 24 to swivel back into the position of FIG. 1 due to theoff-center positioning of swivel pin 16.

Body 24 will remain in sweeping position (FIG. 2) during the sweepingoperation due to the fact that stop plate 19 impinges upon the wall ofhole 23 when the brush is in this position. Also, brush 15 will remainupright, as in FIG. 1, and will not rotate completely around due to thefact that, in that position, plate 18 impinges against stop plate 19,and is retained against it.

I claim:

1. A swivelling shoe brush combination, of the type described,comprising:

a long handle,

a pin projecting laterally from the end of said handle,

a mounting plate hingeably attached to said pin in swivelling relationthereto,

a stop plate attached to the top of said pin and serving to stop saidmounting plate from making a complete revolution around said pin, and

an elongated brush body having an opening in its end into which saidmounting plate is inserted in anchored relation, and in a manner suchthat said pin is disposed 01f center with respect to the longitudinalcentral axis of said brush body and said stop plate is also positionedwithin the opening, and such that when said brush is pulled back on afloor, the brush body rolls around the pin until the bristles thereofare disposed upwardly for cleaning the soles of shoes, and said stopserves to prevent further rotation of said body, and when said handle islifted, said brush body rotates back to a bristle-downward positionenabling the use of said brush as a broom since said brush is unable torotate further due to impingement of said stop plate against the wall ofsaid opening.

2. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 1, in which said brush bodyhas a flat upper surface and round bordering edges.

3. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 1, in which a shorter brush ismounted on said handle oppositelydisposed to said elongated brush bodyand wherein the bristles thereof are directed horizontally.

4. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 3, in which the bottom of saidhandle is mounted in one opening of a pipe L, and said pin is attachedto the rear of the L, and said shorter brush comprises bristlesprojecting from the other opening of said L.

5. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 1, in which said opening insaid brush body is shorter than the mounting. plate, and said mountingplate is provided at its outer edge with a sharp projection to behammered into the end of said opening.

6. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 5, in which the mounting plateis provided With an angle plate at its inner edge, and fastening meansfor fastening said angle plate to the end of said brush body adjacentsaid opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,859,129 5/1932 Costenbader15-172 FOREIGN PATENTS 755,762 9/1933 France. 523,744 7/ 1940 GreatBritain. 329,363 9/1935 Italy.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 1516l, 172

